Panel board switch construction



May 15, 19.34.

H. J. HAMMERLY PANEL BOARD SWITCH CONSTRUCTION 2 sheets sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1932 ERLY,

INVENTOR HERMAN J. H MM Al/R - y 1934- ,H. J. HAMMERLY PANEL BOARD SWITCH CONSTRUCTION 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6,

INVENTOR Patented May 15, 1934" UNITED STATE 1,958,916 PANEL BOARD SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Herman J. Hammerly, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company, Plainville, Conn.,

Connecticut a corporation of I Application June a, 1932, sci-m No. 615,488 501mm. (01247-40) My invention relates particularly to what is sometimes termed a dead front panel board embodying a number of safety switch units.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction which can be, built up in various sizes with independent switch units, each of which includes quick make and break mechanism. operable by means of a handle at the front.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the switch mechanism per se of the snap action type is completely enclosed and operable by an external handle at the front of the enclosure.

Another object is to providea construction of this character which is normally enclosed but in which access can be readily had to the individual switches by removing a face plate. and without disturbing any of the switch mechanism.

Another object is to provide a construction of this. character in which access may be had to the fuses without disturbing or exposing the switch mechanism.

Another object is to provide a construction ofthis'character in which the front ofthe panel board is substantially flush with the exception of the external operating handles.

Another object is to provide'an enclosed type switch for panel board installations which can be readily connected to bus bar connections.

In carrying out the invention the panel board includes a skeleton framework having side members orvposts connected by cross bars at the front and rear. Each individual switch unit is enclosed in a box and the boxes are secured to the rear cross bars, ofthe framework and the face plates for the respective units are secured to the front cross bars. The operating handles are supported in therespective boxes and extend through openings in the face plates. Access may be had to the fuses of the respective units through suitable openings in the face plates which are normally closed by doors which have an interlocking relation with the snap action mechanism so as to prevent access to the fuses when the respective switch is in the closed circuit position. Circuit connections are effected through slots in the rear of each box by means of externally projecting members which are connected to the circuit terminals of the switch and fuses respectively.

Fig. ,1 15a front elevation of a panel board construction embodying my invention and showing a board consisting of six units of one size and two units of'=a larger size. Each of the three upper units is provided with a separate face plate. The door of one of the fuse com-- partm'ents is shown open. ,The face plate for the three intermediate units at thelcenter' of the board, is formed in onepiece which is broken away in the drawings to show the switch mechanism of one unit and the third switch unit is omitted so as .to illustrate the bus bar connections at the rear. The lower end of the board is provide with a panel having openings for two units. ne unit is omitted and the other unit is shown as provided with an individual face plate.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the panel board construction showing the cross bars of the framework and the horizontal bus bars in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a. rear view showing the face plate construction for the three intermediate units.

i Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a face plate.

Fig. 5 is a plan view 01' the construction looking downwardly from the top of the assembled switch board, a portion of the frame being broken away and shown in section. V

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a fragment of the panel framework and one of the switch units in section and a fragment of another switch unit in side elevation.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one of the switch unit boxes with the operating handle.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the individual face plates.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailside view and sectionof one'of the members for electrically connecting the switch terminals to the bus bars.

The framework consists of side posts or standards 10 connected by cross bars 11, 12, 13 and 14 at the front and cross bars 15, 16, 17 and 18 at the rear. Each switch unit consists of a box or receptacle i'neinber 19 having flanges 20, 20 adapted to be secured to co-related cross bars at the rear of the board. such as 15 and 16, by means of bolts 21 or other suitable fastening devices.

Each switch unit is provided with a. separate face plate or a selected group of units are provided' with a multiple plate, the plate or plates secured either directly or indirectly to the panel board framework. The. face plate of the type 22 is secured by screws 23 to the front cross bars 11, 12 of the framework. The face plates, however, of a number of units may be made integral with each other as shown at 24 in the central section of .Fig. 1 and as shown in Fig. 3. A further modification is shown in the lower half of Fig. 1 where the panel board is provided with a face plate 25 which is secured to the cross bars 13 and.l4 in any suitable manner, for instance, by screws 26, and each switch unit is provided with an independent switch plate 27. This plate is provided with an interior lip:28 which is adapted to be hooked over the upper edge of the plate 25 beneath the opening 29 while the edge of the plate 27 overlaps the edges of this opening. 'I'heupper edge of the plate 27 is provided with a clamping finger 30 operable by a screw 31 for clamping the plate in place.

The face plate 24 may be secured in a similar manner upon and between the cross bars 12 and 13 by means of similar hook members 28 and clamping fingers 30.

The switch per so may be of any suitable type and will usually have its electrical conducting members supported by insulating blocks such as 35 and 36. Line terminals 37 are secured to the insulating block 35. 'Load terminals 38 are secured to the insulating block 36 and the two blocks are provided with clips 39 and 40 for receiving the usual cartridge type fuses 41 although it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular type of switch or fuse construction.

The main bus bars 42 are connected to horizontal branch bars 43 which in turn are provided with angular connecting bars 44 for the respective line connections. A screw bolt or stud 45 connects each of the line terminals 37 to one of the angular bars 44. This bolt 45 is secured in place by nuts such as 46, 47 and 48. The bolts pass through slots in the back of the box and are insulated from the box by tubular insulating members 49 and insulating plates 50.

The load connections 51 are similarly connected to the terminals 38 by means of bolts 52 which pass through slots or openings in the back of each box.

The movable switch member 53 for each switch unit is carried by an insulating 'member 54 and operated by a crank 55 which is pivotally supported in the box. The operating handle 56 in the form shown is hinged to a bridge 57 by means of a counter crank shaft '58. The latter is connected by a link 59 to a hub 60 for operating any suitable type of snap action or quick make and break mechanism which is connected to the crank 55. Each face plate is provided with an opening 61 for the handle 56 so that the face plate can be applied to and removed from the panel board without disturbing the switch or the operating handle.

Each switch unit is provided with an opening 62 for access to the fuses and this opening is normallyclosed by a hinged door 63 which is suitably interlocked with the snap action mechanism, as more fully set forth in the co-pending application of John E. Carlson, Ser. No. 615,492, filed June 6, 1932.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that-my invention provides for a panel board construction which may be built up of a plurality of switch units of the same size or of different sizes as required. Each face plate is secured directly to the front of the framework or to the front plate member of the framework independently of the switch or handle members and the switch box is secured to another part of the framework at the rear.

This construction makes it possible to ship the panel boards complete with a switch in every division or some ofthe switches, including the boxes may be omitted and blank face plates substituted for the usual form of face plate required for the operable switch or, in case it is desired to remove some of the switches after the board is installed, they may be easily removed from the front and the face plate may be replaced to cover the opening and may be locked if so desired. The construction permits the normal operation of the switch for inspection when the face plate is removed and it willreadily be seen that the construction permits easy changing of switch units from one size or capacity to another to suit the varying conditions while in use.

I claim:

1. A panel board construction including a skeleton framework having front and rear cross members, enclosed switch units having .boxes secured to the rear members of the framework and including actuating handles, face plates secured to the front members of the framework independently of the boxes and independently of the switch units and having passages for the handles, said face plates having openings to provide access to a portion of the inside of the boxes and doors for said openings independent of said handles.

2. A panel board construction including a skeleton framework having front and back members, discrete safety switch units having boxes secured to the back members independently of the front members and entirelybehind the front members of the frame and having actuating handles projecting towards the front and face plates secured to the front members independently of the switch units and independently of the boxes and having passages for the handles.

-3. A panel board construction including a skeleton framework having side uprights, cross bars connecting the rear edges of said uprights and cross bars connecting the front edges of the uprights, discrete switch units each comprising a box having flanges at its upper and lower ends at the rear detachably attached to the rear cross bars and containing stationary and movable switch members and provided with an actuating handle ,at the frontof the box, and a front plate for each switch unit detachably secured to the front cross bars independently of the boxes and having a passage for the actuating handle.

4. A panel board construction including a skeleton framework having side members, rear members, and front members to form a main panel, said front member having openings therein, a switch unit corresponding to each of said openings, each unit including a box insertable through the front of the opening and secured to the rear members of the frame behind the opening in the front member of the frame and a face plate covering the box and secured to the panel in front of the box and independently of the box and independently of the switch units, switch mechanism in each box and a handle for actuating the switch mechanism, said handle projecting through an opening'in the face plate.

5. A panel board construction including a skeleton framework having front and rear members spaced apart from each other, discrete switch units mounted in the framework and each comprising an enclosing box with contained switch mechanism and an actuating handle at the front, each switch unit being insertable through the front of the framework and having flanges projecting from'its walls near the rear and fastening devices accessible at the rear of the framework for connecting said flanges to rear members of the framework, front plates for each switch unit and means for securing said front plates to front members of the framework independently of the switch units, each front plate having an opening for'access to a part of the switch unit and a cover for said opening secured to the front plate.

HERMAN J. HAMMERLY. 

